The present invention relates to a joint device for a leg guard of the kind defined in the preamble of claim 1.
A joint device of this kind is known from SE-B-8103133-8.
It should be possible for a leg guard intended for use by sportsmen/sportswomen, for instance ice-hockey players, to bend from a generally straight state when the legs of the wearer are straight to a state in which the first part of the leg guard covering the wearer""s shins is bent to an angle of  less than 90xc2x0 with a second guard part that covers the wearer""s thighs above the knees. The first and the second part of the guard overlap in the joint region when the guard is straight so as to protect the wearer""s knees, provided that the guard is straight or bent through a relatively small angle from a straight state. When the guard is bent to a greater extent, an opening is formed between the two mutually pivotal parts of the guard, since the extent of the overlap must be relatively small despite everything, and the overlapping parts will preferably be able to curve in the proximity of the joint. This opening between said parts on the front side of the guard is covered by a cup-shaped third part which is pivotally mounted on the guard. It is known from SE-B-8103133-8 to guide the movement of the third part (the knee part) in relation to the first and the second part of the guard by means of a joint device. One drawback, however, with this known solution is that the distance between the first and the second part on the one hand and the third part on the other hand varies to a relatively large extent in the angular range through which the guard is able to bend, this distance being greatest in the maximum bent state of the guard. Moreover, the mean distance between the overlapping parts of the first and the second parts of the guard also varies as the guard bends.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a novel leg guard joint device of the kind indicated with which the distance of the cup-shaped third part from the first and the second part of said guard is reduced during bending movement of the guard.
A further object of the invention is to provide a better design of the guard parts that overlap mutually in the knee region and to position their centres of curvature such as to minimise the variation in the thickness of the guard in the knee region, as the guard bends between the limit positions.
These objects are achieved with the present invention.
The invention is defined in the accompanying independent claim 1.